“I believe gays and lesbians should
be afforded the same fundamental rights as all Americans: to love
whomever they choose and to proclaim that love with marriage,”
Villaraigosa said in a video released Thursday. “I believe telling
LGBT couples they can't marry is not only wrong, it goes against our
fundamental values as a nation.” (The video is embedded in the
right panel of this page. Visit
our video library for more videos.)

Villaraigosa also co-chairs the group
Mayors
for the Freedom to Marry along with Mayors Mike Bloomberg of New
York City, Thomas M. Menino of Boston, Annise Parker of Houston and
Jerry Sanders of San Diego.